General Retail Industry Award [MA000004]

Who the Retail Award covers

The Retail Award covers employers in the general retail industry and their employees who fit within the classifications of the award.

The general retail industry means the retail sale or hire of goods or services for personal, household or business use including:

  • clothing
  • food
  • furniture and household goods
  • personal and recreational goods
  • bakery shops at which the predominant activity is baking products for sale on the premises
  • the provision of repair services for household equipment
  • the delivery of newspapers by employees of a newsagent.

Examples of employees covered by the Retail Award include:

  • check-out operators and sales assistants
  • stock hands and shelf stackers
  • door to door salespersons
  • trolley collectors
  • service supervisors, department and store managers
  • tradespersons such as butchers, bakers and florists
  • an employee selling travel packages to final consumers (eg. retail travel agencies)
  • back-office employees performing clerical work in a retail shop
  • electrical device repairers (mobile phones, tablets etc).

The Retail Award also covers labour hire businesses and their employees who are placed with an organisation in the retail industry.

Check the award for full information on who is covered and the classification descriptions.

Source reference: General Retail Industry Award [MA000004] clauses 2, 4 and schedule A

Who the Retail Award doesn’t cover

Employers and employees who are not covered by the Retail Award include those engaged in:

  • the retail sale or hire of goods or services by any of the following:
    • community pharmacies
    • pharmacies in hospitals or other institution providing an in-patient service
    • hair and beauty establishments
    • stand-alone butcher shops
    • stand-alone nurseries
  • manufacturing or processing establishments other than seafood processing establishments
  • hair and beauty work undertaken in the theatrical, amusement or entertainment industries
  • clerical functions performed away from a retail establishment
  • warehousing and distribution
  • motor vehicle retailing and motor vehicle fuel and parts retailing
  • restaurants, cafes, hotels, motels or fast food operation
  • building, construction, installation, repair or maintenance contractors engaged to perform work at a retail establishment.

The Retail Award doesn’t cover employers and employees when they are covered by one of the following awards:

  • Fast Food Award
  • Hair and Beauty Award
  • Meat Award
  • Pharmacy Award.

Check the award for full information on coverage and classifications.

Source reference: General Retail Industry Award [MA000004] clauses 2 and 4

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